Cessna T210M accident near Peachtree City, Georgia, October 28, 1989
On October 28, 1989 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna T210M, registered N8444M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peachtree City, Georgia (Falcon Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER CALIBRATION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, WHICH RESULTED IN ERRONEOUS FUEL QUANTITY INDICATIONS AND LED TO FUEL STARVATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE FORCED-LANDING SITE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 1989 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Peachtree City, Georgia · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N8444M · registry record · serial 210-62045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE PWR ON FINAL, AND WAS LANDED SHORT OF THE RWY ON UNEVEN TERRAIN. EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED 1-2 QTS OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE LT TANK & 6-7 GALLONS IN THE RT TANK. THE LT FUEL QTY GAUGE INDICATED 5 GALLONS REMAINING IN THE LT TANK. THE PVT PLT & THE CHECK PLT STATED THAT THE LT TANK WAS IN USE WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER; THEY NOTED THAT THE 44 GAL LT TANK WAS FULL WHEN THEY PRE-FLIGHTED THE ACFT, AND THAT THEY OPERATED ON THE LT TANK FOR A TOTAL OF 1 HR 40 MIN DURING THE FLT. ACCORDING TO THE AIRFRAME LOG, THE FUEL GAUGES WERE RECENTLY RECALIBRATED. THE PLT, WHO RECENTLY BOUGHT THE ACFT, NOTED THAT THE ACFT HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH IN-FLT FUEL SIPHONING WHICH WERE REPORTEDLY FIXED. INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WING WAS FROM AN OLDER MODEL 210. THE AIRFRAME MAINTENANCE RECORDS CONTAINED NO RECORD OF ANY MAJOR REPAIRS/MODS. ACCORDING TO NTSB FILES, THE ACFT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN 1984. IT WAS REPORTED AS SCRAPPED TO THE FAA IN 1985, AND RE-REGISTERED IN 1987.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Flight time: 329 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 290 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 713 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1989; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 7:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,591 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from ATL, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N8444M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.